At Nazariya LGBT, a grassroots queer collective, we’re anticipating the 2018 Delhi Queer Pride through rainbow lenses, where we give you an insight into the everyday, mundane lives of rainbow folks living within our communities and amongst us. We are here to stay, and we won’t live in fear. Most of the time, we see queer stories and lives centered around tragedy or sensationalised to cater to the heteronormative gaze of our society.
Chances are there is someone queer you already know but whose orientation you aren’t aware of because they don’t “look gay”. The mainstream media loves to perpetuate stereotypes and push them onto us to a point where we feel like we have to live up to a certain scale of queerness in order to be considered queer enough. Our identities have been made the butt of jokes for so long, whether it’d be in Bollywood or Hollywood. It is therefore, not surprising that many of us suffer from mental health issues. In summary, we feel these photographs are important because we rarely see queer people tell their own stories on their own terms and with complete control with the execution. This is our story and this is how we live.
I Simply Live My Life The Way I Want
Nishtha, 22, she/her/hers, human.
“I like staying at home and talking rather than going out and drinking. This is my happy place and I don’t care if it makes me boring.”
‘In Her Kiss, I Taste The Revolution’
Ruth, 22, she/her/hers, bisexual.
Bhavya, 18, they/them/theirs, bisexual.
“I’m surrounded by so many people but I’m so lonely.”
“I’m not in a mood to talk but I’m glad you’re here.”
Coping Mechanisms
Reyansh, 19, he/him/his, gay
“I’m not much of a reader but it helps me cope, it paves a path to escape reality whenever I wish to. So, yeah, I do read sometimes. Dogs intrigue me. I don’t get them. Giving out love irrespective of how humans choose to act towards them.”
On regeneration and self-love
Anusha, 20, she/her/hers, bisexual.
“This year has been full of realizations. And self love. Lots of self love. And more importantly – self sufficiency; realizing that I am enough and I do not need anyone to complete me. I have anxiety disorder, so I tend to depend on people who are not necessarily good for me…or at least I was. Last year was full of toxicity, this year is full of pride – friends who will always be there, and self dates. I love going on dates with myself or getting drunk alone and just putting messy makeup on myself because that’s what makes me whole. That’s what makes me myself.”
Snatching toxic masculinity by the wig.
Nitish , 19, he/him/his (she/her/hers when in drag), bi-curious homo-romantic
“‘We all are a little broken, that’s how the light gets in’. Drag to me is about wearing a fun costume and entertaining people. It has helped me express my inner femininity. Anyone can do drag.”
